Trunk-harness.



H. LIEN.

TRUNK HARNESS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1915.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

N. a H

FT@E.

TRUNK-HARNESS.

Application filed .Tune 28, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 7 Be it known that I, HANNAH LIEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk- Harness, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved trunk harness and has for its primary object to provide improved means for easily and quickly binding a trunk with ropes, straps or similar flexible elements.

It is one of the more particular ObJQCtS of the present invention to provide a plurality of keepers to which the ropes or straps are connected, and a locking device located centrally upon the top of the trunk and provided with latch members for holding the keepers against movement with respect to each other or simultaneously releasing the same.

It is an additional general object of the invention to provide a trunk harness'which may be very easily and quickly applied to or removed from the trunk and includes a plurality of binding ropes and means arranged upon said ropes for suitably tightening the same upon the walls of the trunk.

Vfith the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure l is a top plan view of a trunk having my improved harness applied thereto; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the keeper lock; F ig. 3 is a detail perspective view of one of the keeper members; and Fig. at is a similar view of one of the tightening sleeves for the harness ropes.

Referring in detail to the drawing, T designates a trunk of any approved form or construction and this trunk, after being closed and locked, is adapted to be bound by means of the ropes, indicated at R.

5 designates generally a lock which is preferably of the type shown and described in my prior application for patent filed February 19, 1915, Serial Number 9379. This lock includes a plurality of radially disposed sliding keeper members 6 which are mounted in the lock case and are provided on their Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. *7, 1%16.

Serial No. 36,824.

outer ends with the curved or arcuate arms 7 which are formed with terminal eyes 8. A similar keeper 9 is integrally formed with the wall of the lock case at one side thereof. The sliding keeper members 6 are normally locked in the case by means 'of a series of pivotally mounted spring pressed locking dogs or pawls 10 which are mounted upon a common operating member 11 which is actuated by means of. a suitable key. It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to any specific form of this look, and the general description of the same, as above given, will, therefore, sufiice for a clear understanding of the operation of the invention.

Two ofthe ropes R- pass longitudinally around the body of the trunk and these ropes are connected at one of their ends to the terminal eyes of the stationary keeper member 9 on the lock case while the other ends of said ropes are connected to the correspond ing eyes of the oppositely related slidable :eeper member '6. An additional pair of ropes are also passed transversely around the body of the trunk and are connected at their extremities to the eyes of the other pair of slidable keeper members 6 mounted in the lock case. 7

It will be understood, from reference to Fig. 1 that, in the use of my improved trunk harness, the locking device is arranged centrally upon the top of the trunk and the ropes are connected in the manner above described to the several keeper members 6 and 9. The movable keeper members, when forced into the lock case, are caught and held by means of pivoted locking pawls or dogs so that the ropes will be held in binding engagement upon the walls of the trunk. In" order to tighten the ropes and hold the same against shifting movement, I provide the sleeves 12 slidably engaged upon the end portions of each rope and provided with suitable handles 13. These sleeves are adapted to be moved along the ropes and downwardly upon the sides and ends of the trunk, the ropes being spread or pulled apart. The sleeves binding against the trunk Walls serve to hold the ropes against shifting movement upon the trunk. lVhen it is desired torremove the harness so that the trunk may be opened, a suitable key is inserted into the lock and the dogs or pawls 10 are actuated, whereby the movable keeper members are simultaneously released, thus permitting the ropes to be removed together with the locking device.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawin the construction, manner of use and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood. By means of my improved locking or holding means for the harness ropes, it will be appreciated that the harness can be very easily and quickly applied to or removed therefrom. As the lock isnot attached in any way to the body of the trunk, it is unnecessary to alter the construction of the latter in any manner whatever, or resort to the use of rivets or other fastening or securing means for the look.

It is, of course, apparent that, if desired, leather straps may be substituted for the ropes above referred to. The invention is also susceptible of many other modifications in the form, proportion and arrangement of the detail features of the device and it will, therefore be understood that I reserve the privilege of adopting all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is 1. A trunk harness including a plurality of flexible binding elements, in combination with a locking device comprising a series of keepers to which the ends of the flexible elements are connected, a plurality of spring whereby the harness may be removed from the trunk.

2. A trunk harness including a plurality of flexible binding elements, in combination with a lock having a case and a keeper integral therewith to which certain of the binding elements are connected, additional keepers slidably mounted in the lock case, and means for holding all of the keepers in assembled relation against relative movement to retain the flexible elements in binding engagement upon the trunk or simultaneously releasing the movable keepers whereby the harness may be removed from the trunk.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afilx my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HANNAH LIEN. Witnesses F. K. l/VILLEY,

STANLEY CovnNsKI.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

